


he's a Keeper

by michida



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, Epic Friendship, Fluff, M/M, Rare Pairings, Romantic Friendship, Unresolved Romantic Tension, a lot of friendship, i took liberties with sorting them into houses, the Dreamies are shippers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-05
Updated: 2018-09-14
Packaged: 2019-05-18 09:10:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,624
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14849927
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/michida/pseuds/michida
Summary: (The five ways Hogwarts!Dream thinks Donghyuck and Jisung might just kind of be in love. Jaemin conspires with the rest of NCT to suss out thetruth.)





	1. sticks and stones may break my bones [1/1]

In the summer of their fifth year, Slytherin loses their penultimate match of the season to Ravenclaw. 

The final moments go like this: Lee Donghyuck from Slytherin almost gets swept off his broom by Kim Doyoung's Bludger before he can score the ten points that would put them five over Ravenclaw's final tally. Park Jisung catches the Snitch right when Donghyuck takes the hit; a chorus of groans from the Slytherin stands gets drowned out by ecstatic cheers from Ravenclaw's side.

Jaemin touches down first, dismounting from his broom. Renjun, who's come all the way from the stands, meanders over from Sicheng's side to greet him; Donghyuck sticks his landing seconds later, swearing under his breath, rubbing his arm.

"Don't _beat_  yourself up," Renjun says when Donghyuck walks up to them with a defeated slump to his shoulder.

"Haha," Donghyuck says and pinches the bridge of his nose. "Doyoung hyung really had to send it flying my way. I couldn't even pass the Quaffle," he complains. "Five points!  _Ahh_ , Winwin hyung's going to kill me."

"He is," Jaemin says solemnly.

Renjun laughs. "Come on. You know he won't. He'll probably beat you within an inch of your life but you'll live."

"Awesome," Donghyuck deadpans, but he snaps to attention, gaze focusing behind Jaemin and Renjun.

They both turn around to see Jisung making his way over on the pitch. He's got the Golden Snitch fluttering tight in his fingers, which by all rights should have drawn a salty sigh from Donghyuck, as Jaemin expects—instead, Donghyuck waves at him cheerfully when he comes to a stop before them.

"Jisungie, good match," he says. "Congratulations~" 

Renjun chokes a little. Jaemin turns to Donghyuck with incredulity.

Jisung glances from Donghyuck's face down to his arm and arches a brow. "Good match, hyungs," he returns with a nod. "Better luck next time."

Donghyuck's brow twitches at the jab. Jaemin loves Jisung. He really does. But if Donghyuck doesn't blow him a raspberry, then Jaemin will.

"To what do we owe this pleasure?" Donghyuck asks.

Jisung hesitates. "Doyoung hyung got you with that Bludger right?"

"I'm fine!" Donghyuck says reassuringly, waving him off. "Salty but I'll live. Your team's calling you, Jisung-ah. Go celebrate."

Jisung turns around; indeed, Jeno's gesturing for Jisung to come over. Doyoung waits patiently with his arms akimbo.

"Bye," Jisung says and jogs off. 

"Lee Donghyuck," the voice of their captain thunders behind him, and Jaemin grimaces as Sicheng gets Donghyuck into a headlock and prepares to give him a serious noogie. Donghyuck lets out a muffled grunt of pain, and Jaemin finally notices how bloodless Donghyuck's complexion looks.

Sicheng pauses before his fist meets Donghyuck's crown, loosening his chokehold, and Donghyuck weakly pulls his arm out from between them.

His shattered, rapidly swelling arm.

Arms don't bend at that angle.

That Bludger really got him good.

"Holy shit," Jaemin says, coming over to his side. Renjun goes to his other side. "You dumbass."

"Can you walk?" Renjun asks.

"I—don't know. No stretchers," Donghyuck grits out. "Just walk me to the Hospital Wing so I don't pass out."

Sicheng puts an arm around Donghyuck's waist and Jaemin gets the other side. Donghyuck cradles his arm, squeezing his eyes shut, and they slowly help him off the pitch. Renjun stays behind to do damage control.

"Why are you like this?" Jaemin scolds him on their way. "Just say you're injured the first time!"

Donghyuck grimaces but nods meekly.

"Pain on a scale of one to ten?" Sicheng asks.

"I'll be recovered by next week," Donghyuck says, and Sicheng smacks him upside the head. " _Ow!_ "

"That's not what I asked, you fool," Sicheng says. "Taeyong hyung would _kill_  me if I made you play after this. Give me your pain on a scale of one to ten."

"Seven," Donghyuck grumbles. "Sorry, hyung."

"Right, so a nine," Jaemin says.

"A _seven_ ," Donghyuck insists.

They reach the Hospital Wing and roll Donghyuck in one of the beds. The matron comes up and sighs when she sees Donghyuck.

"Hi, noona," Donghyuck says with a sheepish face.

"Don't 'hi, noona' me, Lee Donghyuck. This is the third time, on the same arm," she says sternly, cutting the sleeve from his misshapen forearm. Jaemin looks away and Donghyuck shoots him a look. "You're staying overnight." She turns to Sicheng, and Sicheng ducks his head a little. "Slytherin's last match is next week against Gryffindor, correct?"

"Yes, noona," he says.

"Donghyuck, you'll come for check-ups for the next three days," she says. "And _I_ decide if you're cleared for playing."

 _"Noona,"_ Donghyuck protests with a whine.

She hands him a draught as she gently presses her wand against protruding bone. "Drink this. And count to three," she says.

Donghyuck downs the goblet with a disgusted face. "One. Tw— _ow_ —!"

Jaemin nearly gags at the sound of reorienting bone and reknitting flesh. Donghyuck looks only a little ashen when Jaemin dares to look back at his face. The matron magics up a white cast over his arm.

"Rest and recover well," Sicheng says firmly, putting his hand on Donghyuck's hair. When he walks away though, Jaemin and Donghyuck can hear him muttering, " _Taeyong hyung's going to kill me."_

"I'll bring dinner," Jaemin says to him when the matron leaves them. "Don't die."

Donghyuck looks faintly troubled. "Got it," he says, faraway.

 

 

 

 

It's up to Jaemin to watch Donghyuck for the rest of the evening because historically, Donghyuck's just gone back to the Slytherin common room despite explicit orders to stay overnight. (Because he doesn't like the loneliness of the Hospital Wing, Jaemin knows.) The matron noona said, 'Don't let him try anything', so after Jaemin brings him dinner and catches the tail end of Doyoung's profuse mothering, he sits himself right at Donghyuck's bed and waits for Donghyuck to conk out. For someone who's been through the first circle of hell, he's a lot less tired than Jaemin, who starts dozing off before he does.

"You don't have to watch me," Donghyuck says. "Go fall asleep studying, idiot."

"Like hell. Noona told me to watch over you," Jaemin yawns, laying his head down on his arms. "Pass out already."

"At least sleep in the next bed," Donghyuck complains, adjusting his position, and Jaemin flicks his knee and makes himself comfortable.

Jaemin's halfway to the dream world when a whisper stirs him lightly from unconsciousness.

"You were injured." 

It sounds like Jisung. Jaemin cracks open a bleary eye and confirms his suspicions—Jisung, in full Ravenclaw regalia, stands there, wringing his hands behind his back. Jaemin shuts his eyes again.

Donghyuck's soft, sheepish laugh is enough to tell all. The silence likewise is enough to clue in a hazy Jaemin that Jisung's probably frowning.

"It was the Bludger," Jisung says, "right?"

"Doyoungie hyung is already feeling very, very sorry," Donghyuck reassures him. "Don't worry, Jisung-ah. My arm's already re-set and everything. It'll be fine. Noona said she'll clear me for our last match." She said _nothing_ of the sort, but Jaemin decides not to pipe up.

Jisung sighs heavily. "I wouldn't be worried if—I'm not worried. But you didn't have to—pretend everything was fine. I came over to see if you were okay, but you just—" His voice dies out on a choke.

Donghyuck quiets. The tension is seriously thick enough that a knife could slice right through. Jaemin waits with bated breath for someone to break the silence.

"Sorry," Donghyuck says softly. "I just ended up worrying you more. But I didn't want you to be burdened during the celebrations."

"The cake was pretty good," Jisung admits after a while. "It tasted like victory."

Donghyuck splutters in laughter. " _Yah_ , you punk. And here I thought you felt bad. You didn't bring any cake for me?"

Jisung snorts. "It was gone in seconds, be realistic." He pauses. "Did you eat dinner?"

"Jaemin brought me something from the Great Hall," Donghyuck answers cheerily. "You should go eat if you haven't. And then do your Potions homework."

Jisung grumbles at being told what to do, but when Jaemin cracks open his eye to peek again, he can see Donghyuck reach out with his good arm to ruffle Jisung's hair. What Jisung does can't be called bending down—but he comes within reach to let it happen. He closes his eyes and relaxes, as Donghyuck looks upon him with affection.

What is happening.

"Okay, that's enough," Jisung says, finally pulling back.

Donghyuck teases him. "Is this what it takes to receive your care and concern, Jisung-ah?"

"What do you mean?" Jisung splutters. "I was worried!"

"Oh? Just now you said you weren't worried though?" Donghyuck says, and Jisung gapes in incredulity before crossing his arms over his chest.

"Don't you have a bit of a mean streak?" Jisung points out. "Stressing out your responsible, good dongsaeng like this."

"It's because you're cute," Donghyuck says. "You have good reactions. It gives me energy."

" _Bye_ ," Jisung insists, stalking away.

"Love you," Donghyuck calls after him seriously, and Jisung turns around once to give him a petulant glare before sweeping down the stairs, back to the main castle.

Seconds later, Donghyuck's foot shoots out and gets Jaemin in the arm.

"I know you're awake, Nana," Donghyuck says. "I'm hungry again." 

"What do you want," Jaemin sighs. He doesn't even try to pretend innocence, just stretches out of his curled-up position and arches a brow at Donghyuck.

"Ice mice," Donghyuck sighs and plops back into his pillow the way a lovesick person might.


	2. if the shoe fits [1/1]

“Hyungs, I have a task for you,” Chenle announces, plopping down in the Slytherin common room. He then knocks over a stack of books and Renjun’s steaming cup of tea.

“Aiya,” Renjun sighs.

“Oh?” Jaemin asks as Chenle meekly scourgifies away the jasmine tea from Renjun’s Potions textbooks. “Getting some Slytherins to do your dirty work? How Slytherin of you.”

“He’s practically a Slytherin,” Renjun agrees, “considering how much time he spends here.”

Jaemin squints at Chenle, who gives him a doe-eyed look of utter innocence. “Aren’t you in Gryffindor? Or wait—Ravenclaw?”

“Lucas thinks I’m a Slytherin, but yes, Gryffindor,” Chenle laughs. “It’s because I enjoy hanging out with you guys.”

“How sweet,” Renjun says. “What do you want?”

Chenle shrugs off Renjun’s blunt jab. Jaemin knows Renjun would kill anyone in cold blood for Chenle anyway.

“I need your help,” Chenle confesses. “I think Jisung’s planning to ask someone to the Yule Ball.”

“Can you guys even go this year?” Renjun points out. “Aren’t you guys like kids?”

“And it’s _not_ you?” Jaemin gasps.

 “Hey, we’re old enough to go now! And— _haaa_ , yeah, about that,” Chenle laughs nervously. “I’m—uh. Already. Going with Lucas.”

He averts his gaze when Renjun pins him with a deadly stare. “What,” says Renjun slowly.

“—Anyway! I think Jisung’s planning to go with a Slytherin. And you guys are Slytherins, so therefore...”

“It’s certainly not me,” Jaemin interrupts, mood souring at the thought that one of the slimier bastards in Slytherin might have designs on their maknae, but he sits up, curiosity piqued. “Why do you think it’s a Slytherin?”

“He was looking up silver robes on Coupang,” Chenle whispers conversationally. “Which theoretically goes with Ravenclaw blue but also he was looking at some temporary snake tattoos?”

“Temporary snake tattoos,” Renjun repeats, still staring pointedly at Chenle, who still can’t quite meet his eyes.

“Yeah, like those kiddie ones,” Chenle says.

Jaemin laughs at the thought of Jisung fumbling with his thumbs on his small smartphone to shop for dress robes and _snake_ tattoos. “All right,” he says with a nod, cracking his knuckles. “We’ll keep a look out.”

“Thanks, hyungs,” Chenle says cheerily and salutes them, preparing to leave—

“Not so fast,” Renjun says, swooping in, laying a firm hand down on Chenle's shoulder. “We’re going to talk about you going with _Lucas_.”

Jaemin politely excuses himself from this conversation and heads up to the fifth year dorms.

“But _I_ was the one who asked—” Chenle’s distant groan fades into the background.

 

 

 

 

It's unusually early for Chenle to be snooping around about dates—but seeing as he’s already secured his own partner to the Ball, Jaemin is far from surprised. Early birds really do get the worm. Chenle really should have been a Slytherin. If not for meeting Xuxi on the train, he really probably would have been sorted into Slytherin instead of Gryffindor.

It’s only a week later that the Yule Ball decorations are beginning to appear around the halls. Lots of people are getting antsy for finding dates, and naturally the popular people go first—i.e. the top students of the class, the visuals, the choir kids, and the Quidditch players. Jaemin suspected it for a while, but Renjun gets asked by Sicheng and says yes. When Donghyuck, obtuse as ever, says, “You and Winwin hyung are really close, huh?” as if it weren’t the most obvious pairing to exist, Renjun laughs at him and says, “Let me know if you need help finding a date,” to which Donghyuck gives him a sour face and goes back to practicing his Charms.

Renjun leaves to go robes-shopping in Diagon Alley with his licensed Apparating date. 

Jaemin flops onto his bed. The sound of Donghyuck waving his wand midair is what fills the air for a few seconds.

“Maybe we should just go together,” Jaemin suggests.

“Huh,” Donghyuck grunts. “I guess. We’d be, like, the ultimate power couple of the fifth years.”

“Yeah,” Jaemin says, and then abruptly—“Wait, no.”

“Hmm?” Donghyuck says absentmindedly, and his bed curtains proceed to catch on fire. “Holy— _crap!_ ”

Meanwhile, Jaemin is remembering two weeks ago, when Jisung let Donghyuck touch his hair for more than two seconds. Donghyuck’s panicked shouts of ‘ _Crapcrapcrap!’_  barely register through his tunneled recollection of the way Jisung had closed his eyes, leaning into Donghyuck’s touch—or maybe Jaemin is remembering this wrong. Either way—he’s put it together now. Jisung plans to ask a Slytherin. Donghyuck is a Slytherin. The two of them were pretty suspect when Jaemin was pretending to sleep right in front of them. Even if he’s loathe to hand off Jisung to an uncouth rascal like Donghyuck, who is he to get in the way of true love? Therefore he can’t go with Donghyuck.

“I’m not going with you to the Ball,” Jaemin declares with finality. “Sorry.”

“What the _hell_?” Donghyuck says incredulously and finally stamps out the fire. He flops down onto his bed and waves the smoke away with a groan. Then he gathers himself before he explodes, “My bed was literally just on fire and that’s what you were mulling over in that thick skull this whole time? I don’t want to go with you either!”

“How do you feel about temporary snake tattoos?” Jaemin asks him.

Donghyuck gapes at him. He looks like he’s three breaths away from busting a vein in his temple. Then he rubs his eyes and pulls his hands down his face with an exaggerated sigh. “They’re cool, I guess. But why though?” he says seriously. “Mice are cuter. Are you saying you want temporary snake tattoos? I don’t really care if you get them? Is this why we can’t go together?”

Huh. “Do you want to go together?” Jaemin asks.

“You’re like my last resort,” Donghyuck confesses to which Jaemin nearly hexes him. “But at this rate, I’d rather go with a friend than a fan, you know?”

Jaemin comes very close to killing Donghyuck every day—but he can understand, at least, the second part of his statement. They started on the Slytherin Quidditch team early, so even in their second and third years, they went with upperclassmen girls and never really got to go with people that they were actually friends with. But if Jaemin rejects him, he wouldn’t have anyone to go with either. But if Jaemin accepts—then he’d practically be robbing Jisung.

“Wait,” Donghyuck says thoughtfully. “Is there someone you want to go with?”

“Uh,” says Jaemin.

“Is it Jeno?” Donghyuck demands when Jaemin doesn’t offer forth a name, getting up from his bed. He practically tumbles out onto the floor and pulls himself over to Jaemin’s side.

“Uh,” Jaemin repeats. He reminds himself for strength that Jisung is his son. And if Donghyuck’s his only one, then so be it. (Even if he and Donghyuck would have totally destroyed at the dance.) “I was planning to ask, I guess...?”

“Yeah,” Donghyuck says, weirdly emphatic and enthusiastic. “Okay. That’s fine. Yeah, you should go with Jeno.”

“Then what are you doing?” Jaemin asks.

“Probably sleeping in.”

“Just because I’m not going with you?”

Donghyuck laughs and goes back over to his bed. “If it’s not you, it can’t be anyone else,” he says, dry as sand.

“Don’t you actually want to go with someone though?” Jaemin asks Donghyuck. “Like with someone who actually likes you.”

“Ouch,” Donghyuck says. “Never knew you felt that way, Jaemin-ah.”

Jaemin pauses and bursts out laughing. “I spoke my mind for once,” he chortles, and when Donghyuck whines, he relents. “I’m kidding. I meant like—someone who _really_ likes you, you know?”

“Like the girls who ask us every year?” Donghyuck says pointedly.

“Someone that you also like back,” Jaemin clarifies.

“It’s you, Jaemin-ah,” Donghyuck says seriously. “You’ve always been the one for me.”

“Shut up,” Jaemin groans and laments Donghyuck’s inability to stop horsing around. “Isn’t there a certain dongsaeng of ours...?”

Donghyuck considers him suspiciously. “We only have two dongsaeng, so you’re talking about either Chenle or Jisung. But I’m pretty sure Jisung told me Chenle was going with that really big Gryffindor? Like the one who’s as tall as Johnny hyung? So you’re talking about Jisung?”

“Correct,” Jaemin says fervently, thankful that Donghyuck has, for once, cottoned on quickly. “Can you really let Jisung be the only person in our friend group who doesn’t have a date to the Ball, when it’s completely in your power to make it happen?”

Donghyuck thinks about it and then shrugs. “I’d go with Jisung if I could,” he says.

 

 

 

 

The next day, it’s the gossip of the entire Slytherin common room that Lee Donghyuck’s Yuletide sights are set on underclassman Ravenclaw Seeker Park Jisung. Donghyuck wakes up to find Renjun howling in laughter in his ear, and when Sicheng breaks the news right before he comes down from the dorms, Donghyuck finds Jaemin downstairs in the common room and promises darkly, “Na Jaemin. I will _end_ _you_. I just said that I _would_ —not that I will! It’s not some dirty secret that needed to be blown completely out of proportion—!”

Jaemin can see the vein pop in his forehead when the whispering just gets louder.

“ _LISTEN UP_ ,” Donghyuck yells. “YOU HEARD RIGHT. I WOULD TAKE PARK JISUNG OVER ALL YOU GUYS. IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT, SPEAK UP.”

 

 

 

 

“You practically invited everyone to say their piece,” Jaemin says an hour later at breakfast. “Why are you so mad that they did?”

“Because why do they have problems?” Donghyuck fumes. “And some of those snot-nosed bastards don’t know how to think before they speak. I was _this_ close to hexing at least ten people.”

“Your fingers are touching.”

“Exactly.”

“But you _would_ though?” Jaemin presses, ignoring that ominous implication. “Why won’t you?”

“Jisung is going with someone else,” Donghyuck says in exasperation. “Chenle came up to me the other day and was trying to scope out who the potential target could be. I think it could be Hyoyeon noona, to be honest. They’re both Seekers so it’s likely he’d seek her out—”

“Please,” Jaemin groans. Donghyuck shoots him a smug look. “What if he’s just waiting for  _you_ to ask?”

“Ask him what?”

“To go to the Ball, fool.”

Donghyuck rolls his eyes expressively at him. “He’s not waiting. Listen. I said to him when he was in second year, ‘ _Don’t worry, Jisungie. You can be hyung’s date to the Yule Ball next year.’”_ He then pitches his voice up in a surprisingly spot-on imitation of pre-pubescent Jisung’s voice, wrinkling his nose for added effect. “He was like, ‘ _We would have to be dating, hyung. No thanks_.’ I laughed so hard I cried. On the inside I was really crying though.”

“I mean, you were a pretty big loser back then.” Arguably still.

“But _I_ went with Taeyeon noona that year,” Donghyuck crows. “So who really lost?”

“I still don’t know how you did it!” Jaemin bursts out in sudden anger. “A beautiful goddess from Ravenclaw like Taeyeon noona taking a grimy gross rapscallion like you—”

“You went with Seulgi noona though,” Donghyuck retorts. “She’s the best Chaser in this school and literally the reason why we lose against Gryffindor every time—”

 

 

 

 

Anyway, now that Donghyuck’s practically offended all of Slytherin (half of whom are grossed out at the thought of inter-house mingling and the other half of whom are up at arms on behalf of Hyoyeon—albeit for like half a day because Hyoyeon still ruffled Donghyuck’s hair affectionately when she saw him)—

Now that Donghyuck’s practically offended _half_ of Slytherin, Jaemin draws up a list of the remaining people that Donghyuck could conceivably go with. The library is the greatest place to get into the zone, so Jaemin writes down like six names belonging to potentially compatible dates. He’s such a good friend to Donghyuck. Donghyuck would never do this for him. (The  _irony,_ Jaemin would come to realize months later.)

“Jaemin hyung, you’re studying?”

Jaemin looks up and Jisung is approaching him.

“Jisungie,” he greets—and then registers what Jisung’s just said. “ _Hey_ ,” he says. “I study!”

The librarian shushes him from across the tables and he ducks his head in apology.

Jisung slides into the seat across from him.

“What’s this?” Jisung asks. “Is this your homework? Oh—a list of people? These are Slytherins?”

“It’s a date list for Donghyuck,” Jaemin says. “He still doesn’t have one. At this rate he might not even be going.”

“Really?” Jisung says, eyes wide.

“Really,” Jaemin groans. “Of all the times to offend half of Slytherin, he really had to choose the worst time—”

“What did he do?”

“H _o-o-o-o_ ,” Jaemin breathes out excitedly. “Let me tell you. The entire Slytherin common room was in fits this morning. He yelled at everyone that he’d rather take you to the Ball over them—it was hilarious. Pretty sure he got detention for dueling with some mouthy upperclassmen.”

“Hyung, wait—what? Repeat that?” Jisung says slowly.

“Donghyuck said he’d rather take you— _hmm_ ,” Jaemin says. “Oh, is that Donghyuck? Hey, I should go—”

He really does see a rose-cheeked Donghyuck passing by the library, cloak dusted with snow. He then abruptly realizes, when gathering his materials hurriedly and fleeing the table hurriedly, that Jisung is hot on his heels, following him right to Donghyuck.

When Jaemin slows to a stop, Jisung keeps his approach and reaches Donghyuck in two long strides. Donghyuck, who earlier waved in greeting, now narrows his eyes suspiciously at Jaemin before turning to Jisung, face smoothing into a fond look.

“Jisung,” he greets.

“Hyung, are you going to the Ball?” Jisung asks.

Donghyuck, whose cheeks are still flushed from the cold, nods. “Yeri and I just decided to go together,” he says. “Just now I saw her throwing rocks into the lake and then we complained about being loners together until we came up with the master plan to go together.” He smiles at Jisung. “Have fun with Hyoyeon noona.”

“Wait, Jisungie, you’re actually going with Hyoyeon noona?” Jaemin asks.

Jisung nods at him solemnly. Donghyuck pats Jisung on the shoulder while Jisung’s still looking at Jaemin, and behind Jisung’s back signals the universal gesture at Jaemin for _You Are **So** Dead!!!_

“See you guys at dinner then,” Donghyuck says and heads off.

Jisung’s head swivels back to Donghyuck, but he’s already walking away. Jisung watches him leave, and Jaemin watches him watch Donghyuck disappear around the hall. It makes a forlorn sight. Jaemin’s heart hurts a little. But he can’t stop here.

“I didn’t know you were interested in Hyoyeon noona,” Jaemin says casually.

“We’re touring with some Quidditch teams the weekend before Christmas,” Jisung explains. “So it would just be quick to go together because we’d come back at the same time.”

Unfortunately, that sounds exactly like something Park Jisung would do. Business over pleasure, and all that. His dedication to his craft is unusually sedulous, even for a Ravenclaw.

“Was there someone else you wanted to go with though?”

Jisung shrugs and casts his gaze to the floor, toeing at the tile. “Not really.” (Jaemin totally wants to call _bullshit_.) Jisung looks up at him questioningly. “Actually, I thought you two would go together? Who are you going with, hyung?”

“Well, I haven’t asked yet but,” Jaemin begins.

“Is it Jeno hyung?” Jisung says, with a weird look in his eyes and an even weirder tone of voice, and Jaemin, taken aback, nods in reservation.

“Did Donghyuck drop hints?” he asks.

“Huh?” Jisung says. “Oh—I—sure. Yes, hyung.” He smiles at Jaemin and places a firm hand on his shoulder. “That’s awesome. Jeno hyung looks pretty good in green, as he does in any color. Hwaiting.”

“I—thanks?” Jaemin says. “Wait though. So you were looking up temporary snake tattoos for Hyoyeon noona?”

“Temporary snake tattoos?” Jisung repeats. “Oh, that’s not for the Ball. How—how do you know about that?”

“Oh, haha, I don’t—didn't. Gotta blast!” Jaemin salutes him cheerily and runs.


	3. habits of love [1/3]

The second week of winter break hasn’t even begun when Donghyuck comes crashing into the Slytherin common room on a lovely Sunday morning, planting face first into the carpet. Chenle enters seconds later, frantic as he tries to help a struggling Donghyuck to his feet.

“Hyung’s been poisoned!” Chenle blurts before Jaemin can even blink.

“Not again,” Jaemin groans.

 

 

 

Jaemin is not surprised to learn that, like the first time, it somehow all comes back to Park Jisung.

The first time was food poisoning. (Donghyuck threatened to end Jaemin and Renjun if they let it slip to Jisung though.)

This time, it went down like this—Jisung wanted to practice his potion-making for a practical interview in January. A summer apprenticeship. Donghyuck, both a storeroom volunteer and self-proclaimed but also school-wide acknowledged potion genius, graciously offered to test him. They were just going to go over all the N.E.W.T. level stuff and brew antidotes. Jisung blew through most of them without a hitch over the course of a week. The typical Shrinking Solution, Calming Draught, Draught of Living Death, and the like—and then a few Love Potions, because, according to Donghyuck, ‘You never know when you might need make some!’

The mark of a good potioneer is a clean station—so Chenle came by a few times and Jisung always managed to recruit him as a station aid. It just so happened that while he was dumping out a (probable) Love Potion, Donghyuck took a sip of his pink lemonade and then choked.

Jisung whipped around at the sound, and Chenle froze mid-pour.

In a very, very quiet voice, Donghyuck said, “Oh, crap.”

 

 

 

“And that’s how we came to be in this situation,” Chenle concludes.

Renjun joined them downstairs when Jaemin hollered his name. Jaemin has an above average base affinity for Potions even as a Slytherin, but beyond that, he’s never been interested in his life. Renjun whose intellectual pursuits range from differential geometry to succulents would be able to help more than him.

Jaemin peers at Donghyuck to catalogue his symptoms. Breathing normal. Pupils slightly dilated. Looking only slightly annoyed.

“Can’t you just brew the antidote yourself?” Renjun asks pointedly. “Jisung’s concoctions can’t be the toughest you’ve ever seen.”

That’s true. Donghyuck interned at St. Mungo’s last summer when the Auror he was shadowing dumped him there. Apparently the case they were on escalated so quickly that there was no time to work out getting a new mentor. Mungo’s put him to work on the third floor after they caught him brewing sleeping draughts in a storage closet for some insomniac patients.

“I don’t know,” Donghyuck grits out. “Jisung dropped in some valerian sprigs and right now I can’t think of the counter reagent when it’s mixed with pearl dust. It’ll wear off before I figure it out.”

“How did you not notice the smell?” Jaemin asks. “Couldn’t you tell it wasn’t lemonade?”

Donghyuck opens his mouth to say something. He stops short. “Shut up,” he says instead, “and help me up the stairs.”

 

 

 

 

Love Potions last for max twenty-four hours, if Jaemin remembers correctly. The added variable of valerian probably only mellows out the drinker rather than extending the effects. Hopefully.

“Where is Jisung?” Jaemin asks Chenle when he walks Chenle out of the Slytherin dungeons. “Is he trying to brew the antidote?”

“If Haechan hyung can’t figure it out, I think Jisung isn’t confident he can either,” Chenle confesses, shaking his head. “Hyung told Jisung to go find and tell Jeno hyung after we all realized he drank the love potion. And then he made me bring him to the dungeons while Jisung was away.” He pauses. “Is it really okay like this?”

Jaemin inclines his head questioningly.

“I mean,” Chenle elaborates. “I tried to get Haechan hyung to go to the Hospital Wing, but he said we can’t. What if he dies?”

“Love Potions are banned at Hogwarts,” Jaemin says with a grimace. “So you’d all get into some serious trouble if this came out. We can probably trust Donghyuck’s decision. He’s one of the top potioneers here, after all.”

“Love potions also cloud judgment,” Chenle points out.

“Touche. I don’t think he’ll die,” Jaemin says reassuringly. “Adding a sedative to a Love Potion can’t have _that_ big of an effect. Lee Donghyuck wouldn’t be like this if he weren’t confident he’d be fine.”

 

 

 

 

“I’m going to die,” Donghyuck says solemnly as Jaemin walks in.

Jaemin groans. “You can’t,” he begs as he hurries over to Donghyuck’s bed. “I just told Chenle that you’re going to live.”

“He’s exaggerating,” Renjun says, coming over with a wet cloth. He smacks it over Donghyuck’s forehead and stands back, hands on his hips. “Good thing it’s winter break. You can just sleep it off.”

Donghyuck flings an arm over his eyes. “About that,” he says nervously. “I…may have made Jisung use some of the older stock so it wouldn’t look suspicious.”

“You didn’t,” Renjun says flatly.

“You absolute dumbass,” Jaemin says.

“How do you get yourself into crap like this?” Renjun marvels in wonder. Donghyuck’s luck has always been shit. He’s had more accidents in this past year than the two of them have had in their entire time here combined.

“Correct me if I’m wrong,” Jaemin clarifies. “This potion will last for more than a day?”

“I don’t know how long it’s going to last,” Donghyuck despairs. “And I can’t think straight at all. The valerian’s barely keeping my head on my shoulders, but my thoughts are all—” He chokes.

 _All about Jisung_.

“We could ask Taeyong hyung,” Renjun says.

“Wait—he’s going to know,” Donghyuck protests, panicked. “The moment you tell him he’ll know it’s a Love Potion.”

“Well _duh_ ,” Renjun replies. “Pearl dust is in every Love Potion. Anyone who’s taken first year Potions would know. If you can’t figure it out, how will we?”

“We can’t tell Taeyong hyung,” Donghyuck says. “He’ll find out the entire truth and then it’ll be bad for the dongsaengs when it comes out. And Doyoungie hyung will _kill_ me for leading Jisung astray.”

“Then what’s your master plan?” Jaemin asks. “ _All_ of the potioneering hyungs are responsible prefects.”

The three of them ruminate in silence.

“We can just wait out,” Donghyuck suggests hopefully.

Jaemin gives him a long look, goes to sit on his bed, and puts his head in his hands. “You’re going to die,” he sighs.

 

 

 

Donghyuck fails to sleep off the Love Potion.

The three of them are eating breakfast the next morning at the Slytherin table when Jeno approaches with Jisung in tow. Donghyuck greets them around a mouthful of rice porridge, and for a moment it seems like they’ll be fine when Jisung sits down next to Donghyuck and Jeno slides into the seat across from Jaemin—but Donghyuck’s movements stutter when Jisung passes him a serving spoon and their fingers brush.

The color bleeds from his face instantly.

As Renjun engages Jeno in a hushed discussion about the Love Potion, Jaemin watches from the corner of his eye as Donghyuck and Jisung make eye contact. Donghyuck is the first to break it; he gets up from his seat shakily before Jisung can say anything and says a quiet, “I’m sorry, Jisung-ah,” fleeing the Hall on wobbly legs.

Jisung’s gaze trails after him.

“Jisung,” Jaemin calls, and Jisung turns to him, schooling his expression. “You’re not going to eat breakfast?”

“I already ate,” Jisung says, a little dejectedly.

“We can’t let him drink a Hate Potion. The counteraction is ill-defined with valerian. And besides, Donghyuck won’t die,” Renjun is saying next to them. “He’s a stubborn mule with a stomach of steel. It just needs to wear off.”

“Injunnie, we can’t let him fly with his baseless assumption that valerian and pearl dust don’t precipitate a hazardous compound,” Jeno protests. “Even if he doesn’t die, there could be health effects.”

“I agree,” Renjun says, arching a brow. “But he’s insisting because he doesn’t want trouble.”

Jeno opens his mouth, only to sigh a heavy sigh, against his prefect instincts. Jisung almost imperceptibly curls further into himself.

“Hey, it’s not your fault,” Jaemin says to him softly, catching the action.

Jisung looks up with a grimace. “Isn’t it? Hyung drank my potion,” he says.

“No,” Jaemin says. “It’s Donghyuck’s. What amateur can’t tell a Love Potion from pink lemonade?”

Jisung cracks a small smile. “Haechan hyung can be very unobservant,” he agrees.

“Right?” Jaemin says, getting up. “So don’t you worry, Jisungie. I’ll go check on him.”


	4. habits of love [2/3]

“Sorry,” Donghyuck croaks out when Jaemin finds him in the boys’ bathroom, wiping his face. He grips the sink to keep himself upright. “Is everything good?”

Jaemin hovers on the side. “Jisung’s worried, of course,” he answers, “but nothing else happened.” He pauses. “Why can’t you just be your normal clingy self? It’s not like it’ll be any different from how you usually bug him.”

“No,” Donghyuck says plaintively. “It’s different.”

When he brooks no argument, Jaemin feels like he’s missing something.

 

 

 

 

So until either (1) Donghyuck dies or (2) the potion wears off, the three of them agree that it’s best if Donghyuck and Jisung are separated. Jaemin is hesitant when they all endorse this plan, and even Renjun looks a little concerned—but they’re sold because of several reasons cited by Donghyuck: for one, he doesn’t think he can control himself around Jisung, and two, it’ll make Jisung uncomfortable.

In history, Donghyuck’s only been successful at cooking up dueling strategies and Quidditch maneuvers. Jaemin hopes he can pull this off too. At most, Jisung will have to bear with Donghyuck’s absence for a few days. That arguably can’t even be considered a downside, considering how much Donghyuck likes to bother him daily. It’ll probably be fine.

Probably.

 

 

 

Which is why no one could have possibly foreseen how much the separation of Donghyuck and Jisung affects them all. Donghyuck’s self-imposed avoidance of Jisung should by all rights just be minor, even imperceptible—a raincheck on hanging out (even though Donghyuck’s usually the one to ask), Donghyuck seeing Jisung and _not_ going over immediately to bug him—but Jaemin has never before in his life _ever_ seen Donghyuck spot Jisung down the hall and turn on his heel in the opposite direction.

It’s only made worse by the subtle ways that Jisung’s face falls—because it would be impossible not to notice the way Donghyuck sees him and just _leaves_. It’s completely uncharacteristic. Chenle snaps Jisung back to attention and they keep walking; Jaemin, as he passes by alone, has to watch the way Jisung tears his gaze away from Donghyuck’s retreating back.

Donghyuck spends dinner sleeping; he isn’t there when their hyungs usher everyone out to the Black Lake to enjoy a picnic together. Jaemin tells a curious Chenle that Donghyuck is out like a light, and Jisung eats dinner quietly.

It doesn’t last for only a day. It goes like this for one, two, three days—the next thing they know, it’s been a whole week and Donghyuck hasn’t been in the same room as Jisung since. He’s so low-energy that he barely leaves his bed to pop in for lunch; he spends the rest of his time sleeping in. He even misses a Quidditch friendly between Slytherin and Gryffindor; they get their asses beat because Amber and Seulgi rain Quaffles in their goal. The Slytherin Seeker catches the Snitch with their five-hundred point gap just so that they can end the torrent of abuse.

When it’s on between Ravenclaw and Slytherin, Doyoung even catches on and asks Jaemin where Donghyuck is.

“Uh,” says Jaemin. “Sleeping?”

Doyoung arches a brow. “He’d never miss a chance to play,” he says suspiciously.

“Potions is really keeping him late up at night,” Jaemin says, cursing Donghyuck for making him lie to Doyoung. Even if it’s technically the truth.

“It’s winter break,” says Doyoung.

“Right,” says Jaemin. “But Donghyuck really likes reading up on alchemy.”

Doyoung gives him a long look before nodding. “He never knows how to obsess in moderation,” he sighs, and Jaemin wishes Doyoung knew just exactly how _true_ that was, even more so now that it’s out of Donghyuck’s control.

Later when they’re all in the air, Jeno flies over to Jaemin’s side.

“Why is he sleeping so much?” he asks. “Is it because of the Love Potion?”

Jaemin nearly falls off of his broom out of fright. “I don’t know,” he confesses. He then asks carefully, “Do you think Jisung’s noticed?”

“Of _course_ he has,” Jeno says, giving him a vaguely reprimanding look. “And he thinks it’s his fault.”

“What?” Jaemin splutters. “Donghyuck’s not mad at him at all. It’s not his fault.”

“Go tell him that!” Jeno scolds him. “I don’t know what you guys decided to do about this, but you can’t just keep him in the dark without saying anything.”

 

 

 

 

Slytherin loses the friendly to Ravenclaw too. Jaemin asks to speak with Jisung after.

 

 

 

 

Except he’s not quite sure what to say. Jisung finishes changing out of his Quidditch gear; Jaemin’s still wracking his brains for how to explain to him that Donghyuck’s not mad.

“He’s not mad,” Jaemin settles for saying.

Jisung doesn’t look very convinced. “He’s avoiding me,” he says sadly.

“Not because he wants to,” Jaemin says. “He doesn’t want to make you uncomfortable.”

“Haechan hyung wouldn’t do anything like that,” Jisung insists. “So I wouldn’t be uncomfortable. Isn’t it more uncomfortable for him like this?”

Jaemin pauses. “Good point,” he says.

 

 

 

Jaemin shakes Donghyuck awake to ask him this: “Again—why can’t you just be your normal clingy self around Jisung?”

“Because of the Love Potion,” Donghyuck says sleepily.

“Jisungie is understanding. He knows it can’t be helped.” Jaemin reaches for Donghyuck’s shoulder, and Donghyuck leans into his touch. “Right. Just like this.”

“Because it’s just you,” Donghyuck grumbles, and Jaemin chokes. “Let me sleep.”

But when Jaemin settles into his bed, he hears it—a quiet _Jisung_ filled with longing, and he wonders what Donghyuck dreams about, wonders at the way there’s so much unhappiness in the way he says Jisung’s name that he’s in pain, even in his dreams.

 

 

 

In the end, nearly two weeks pass, and it begins to look like the Love Potion will last even beyond winter break. Their friend group of eighteen has always spent New Years together, and Jaemin tells Donghyuck he can’t sleep through that or else the hyungs will _really_ get suspicious, not that they aren’t already—and that Donghyuck can’t avoid Jisung _forever_.

So Donghyuck gets up one morning (read: 4:47 AM) with grim determination and decides to brew himself an antidote. He bounces ideas for counter-potions off Jaemin, who is barely awake. He really should be doing this with Renjun. If only Renjun were a 4:47 AM person. Or in general, a person, in the morning.

“Maybe it’s just valerian with a Hate Potion,” Donghyuck says off-handedly.

“I can’t tell if you’re joking or not,” Jaemin says blearily, and Donghyuck nods to himself and gets up to leave. “Are you joking?”

“I’m not joking,” Donghyuck says. “I’m desperate.”

 

 

 

When Jaemin wakes up again, he remembers the conversation that he and Donghyuck had just hours before, when he hadn’t been awake enough to offer constructive criticism. He looks over to Donghyuck’s bed. It’s empty.

With dread, it dawns on him that Donghyuck might have just snapped from the Love Potion entirely. He denied himself so much that it finally drove him to insanity, that the potion he’s brewing right now will be the concoction that ends it all for good.

He races out of the Slytherin dorms in his pajamas into the more public dungeon areas, only to catch Jisung coming out of the storeroom, looking shaken.

“Hyung,” Jisung says.

“Jisung, are you okay?” he asks, clutching at Jisung’s arms. “Have you seen Donghyuck?”

“Just now,” Jisung says. “Hyung said he’s brewing an antidote.”

Just as Jaemin feared. But that begs the question. “What are you doing down here, Jisungie?”

“I was going to brew one too, but hyung took all of the valerian. He probably has a better solution. I could only think of adding valerian to a Hate Potion.”

The irony. “Nope,” Jaemin says. “That’s what he’s thinking too. Wait—you two were together just now?”

The line of Jisung’s shoulders falls as he nods.

“Did he do anything?” Jaemin asks warily.

“No,” Jisung says. “But—”

 

 

 

(This is the first time Jisung ever breaks into a storeroom. Donghyuck really is a terrible influence.

When the door opens behind him, he pulls his wand out on instinct—

“It’s just me,” a familiar voice says, and Jisung turns around to find an amused Donghyuck.

“Haechan hyung,” Jisung says in exasperation, before he remembers that this is really the first time in days that they’ve been around each other. “What are you doing here?”

“Shouldn’t I be asking you that?” Donghyuck replies, closing the door behind him.

“I asked first.”

Donghyuck’s lips quirk up. “I have a hunch, so I’m brewing a counter potion,” he says. “Just wanted to grab some ingredients.” He peers at the collection of ingredients that Jisung already has amassed in his messenger bag. “You too?”

Jisung nods, and Donghyuck hums, moving around to nab the reagents he needs. He’s far quicker than Jisung is—he’s done in the amount of time it took Jisung just to find the fluxweed sap—and he manages to keep a wide berth the entire time.

It’s a little unbearable because Jisung can feel it. Donghyuck hasn’t touched him even once where he usually would. He says, “I’m sorry, hyung.”

Donghyuck stops scanning the shelves and turns to him, puzzled. “Don’t be, Jisungie,” he says kindly. He’s unusually reserved—this _isn’t_ what Donghyuck is like. “It’s not your fault. I’m the one who wasn’t careful.”

“But, hyung, you don’t have to keep your distance,” Jisung sighs. “I can tolerate it. You’ll only be slightly more annoying than usual.”

Donghyuck’s expression morphs into surprise, and he’s startled to laughter. It’s been a while since Jisung’s heard it. It feels like it’s been so _long_.

Donghyuck doesn’t say anything in response, but he comes closer. Close enough to corner Jisung against the shelf. His hand reaches forward, brushing against Jisung’s own—pushing up the sleeve of his robes. Jisung tenses up when Donghyuck leans in (because Donghyuck is almost close enough to kiss him), and he’s seconds away from closing his eyes and letting fate take its course—but Donghyuck stops short of their noses brushing and shakes his head.

“You look scared, Jisung,” he says softly. “It’s safer like this. I don’t want to do things you dislike. But I can’t know if I won’t.” He pulls his hand back—with it, the jar of valerian sprigs that Jisung couldn’t find—with it, his closeness. “Don’t get caught in here, Jisungie.”

And then he leaves Jisung alone in the storeroom.)

 

 

 

That must have taken a lot of restraint on Donghyuck’s behalf. Jaemin’s honestly torn between killing Donghyuck and feeling sorry for him. Jisung overall just looks sorry. He radiates misery after he finishes his recollection.

“I mean, you can feel a little relieved, right?” Jaemin tries to joke. “Since Donghyuck isn’t pestering you all the time now.”

Jisung looks up from the floor. Jaemin’s alarmed to see when his expression crumples in real-time.

“I wouldn’t hate it if Haechan hyung does it now,” Jisung says. “It feels more like he drank a Hate Potion. It’s like that time he cold-shouldered Mark hyung all of last year.”

“It’s definitely _not_  like that time,” Jaemin interjects immediately. “First of all, Donghyuck could never hate you. And he didn’t hate Mark hyung either.”

“He didn’t,” Jisung agrees. “But it _feels_  like it.”

Jaemin reminds himself that Jisung gets that impression because he doesn’t see Donghyuck in lovesickness, the Donghyuck who spends his time sleeping to meet Jisung in dreams—and who is in pain, even then.

“Do you miss him?”

Jisung looks down at his hands. “It’s not like hyung to be so distant,” he finally says, “so it feels different. I just—I know he’s having trouble because he’s holding back. But is it really so horrible to—” His voice cracks. “—to just be in love with me?”

“Oh, Jisungie,” Jaemin says.

 

 

 

When he gets back to the Slytherin dormitories, he finds Donghyuck huddled over his cauldron on the floor.

“I don’t get it,” Jaemin says to Donghyuck, who looks up in confusion. “Is it really so horrible to just let yourself be in love with Jisung?”

Donghyuck stares at him wordlessly. His gaze is pitch dark—and Jaemin can’t read the vibes he’s giving off. It could be cold fury. It could also be absolute fear. When Donghyuck gets to his feet, he uncurls his fingers, which clues Jaemin in to it probably being the former option.

“I didn’t want this to come out,” Donghyuck says through gritted teeth. “There’s a reason why I couldn’t tell it was Amortentia.”

Jaemins’ eyes widen in response. Donghyuck never mentioned that it was _Amortentia_. Which means this whole time, he’s been fighting the most _powerful_ Love Potion in existence.

To be lucid under a powerful infatuation that even physiologically can change a person—it’s no wonder. The sensation of such a keen obsession is so overwhelming that it can temporarily fry a person’s brain—his nerve endings would be on fire every time Jisung comes into contact with him. He only has two options. To let himself steam in longing rather than burn alive is the lesser of two agonies.

Jaemin is speechless for once. He didn’t realize the full extent of Donghyuck’s pain—and he never really can unless he drinks the valerian variant of Amortentia himself.

Donghyuck looks at him warily. “So you know that I can’t,” he says, like a plea, “I really can’t be around Jisungie until this wears off. Please tell him to wait a little longer, Nana.”

“I’m sorry,” Jaemin finally says.

Donghyuck blinks in confusion. “What for?”

“I didn’t know you were having such a hard time. You can’t exist comfortably even when unconscious. You must be—”

Donghyuck makes a face at him and cuts him off. “Na Jaemin, don’t get all mushy on me,” he commands, pretending to be grossed out. His face softens when he sees Jaemin won’t use the out he’s given him. “I’m going to be fine. Jisung doesn’t have to know about this—he’ll just feel worse if he does, so please don’t tell him.”

“You know that he doesn’t like being kept in the dark,” Jaemin protests. “You’re doing this because you think it’s best for him—but you can’t just decide that by yourself. He can’t draw any conclusions otherwise. You know he thinks you don’t want to be in love with him?”

“A Love Potion doesn’t make you fall in love,” Donghyuck replies. “This isn’t love.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> for anyone who was curious about how the yule ball went down, there will be extra scenes after all five incidents are written!! we will also get the truth of jaemin and jeno after ;^0


	5. habits of love [3/3]

Jaemin has no idea what Donghyuck’s added, but he streamlines the brewing time. Nine days worth of brewing, wrapped up in nine hours. Renjun says he wants to be there to watch Donghyuck end it once and for all. Jaemin doesn’t know what exactly Donghyuck’s ending here.

“You’ll really die,” Jaemin says.

“I am _dying already_ ,” Donghyuck promises and downs it. Then he slumps into his bed and passes out.

Renjun and Jaemin lift his body fully onto the mattress. Even if Donghyuck’s death is inevitable considering the amount of stupid shit he gets up to, he’s not dying on their watch. Renjun and Jaemin take turns checking his pulse just in case he really does depart the living realm. They only go back to their own beds when his breathing evens and the snoring starts.

This is the sound that Jaemin falls asleep to most of the time, so when he gets into his own bed, he closes his eyes and finds himself lulled to sleep.

 

 

 

 

And when he opens them, Donghyuck’s scrambling out of bed, hastily throwing robes over the clothes he slept in, a wild light in his eyes.

Jaemin groans and flaps a hand at him.

“Morning,” Donghyuck greets him cheerfully and makes a break for it.

Even though he’s half-asleep, he tumbles out of bed too. “ _Oi!”_

Jaemin can barely keep up with Donghyuck, who practically runs to the Great Hall. The first thing he does upon entering is pinpoint Jisung's location—and then he walks determinedly toward the Ravenclaw table. Jisung's puzzled, hopeful look when he sees Donghyuck enter and then when he sees Donghyuck headed towards him could warm even the most cold-hearted man.

He lets Donghyuck tug him up out of his seat.

Donghyuck gazes into his eyes, tracing the face he longed to see for two weeks. Jisung looks like he's slowly getting flustered under Donghyuck's intense stare—even though he doesn't look away—and then Donghyuck finally moves.

He pulls Jisung down into a headlock and gives him a noogie. Jisung belatedly pushes at him, protesting that Donghyuck's messing up his hair.

Jeno and Doyoung look on in amusement as Jisung gets his hair ruffled.

Donghyuck breathes in deeply. "It's been a while," he sighs. "That felt good."

"Let go!" Jisung splutters.

Donghyuck releases Jisung, who straightens up with a glower. He meets Jisung's frown with warm regard.

"Missed you," he states matter-of-factly, and Jisung's cheeks flood with color as Donghyuck gathers him into a tight hug, burying his head in Jisung's shoulder, arms wrapped around Jisung's waist. Jisung doesn't fight it.

The entirety of the Ravenclaw table gapes at the odd sight of a Slytherin clinging to one of their own, and Jisung is just letting him.

"What brought this on?" Doyoung asks Jeno and Jaemin, ignoring the whispering from their housemates.

Jeno looks to Jaemin to provide a plausible explanation. Jaemin shrugs back at Doyoung, who accepts it.

When Donghyuck finally releases Jisung, Jaemin watches Donghyuck's eyes linger on Jisung's flushed face before falling away—and he realizes then why Donghyuck couldn't tell the Amortentia from his pink lemonade.


End file.
